4. You Said You Hated That
4. You Said You Hated That
Baek Serin went straight back home.
To be exact, it was to pack her things.
She babbled something about having to do it today because she'd be busy with lectures starting the day after tomorrow.
I thought about making up some lame excuse to delay it further, but gave up.
With both our parents already giving their permission, no matter how many defensive walls I built, she'd breach them in no time anyway.
Besides, I wondered what more I could even do at this point.
So with Serin gone, I thought I'd better organize things a bit.
As for cleaning, I do that regularly every weekend, so I skipped that for now.
As is typical for someone living alone, there was hardly any furniture in the spacious living room.
At most, a few storage cabinets were all there was.
Naturally, there was no TV either.
I preferred sitting at my computer over watching TV alone.
Assuming I move my bed to the living room,
the furniture and belongings meant for Baek Serin's room can just go right into my room.
While I was roughly planning things out like that, my phone suddenly rang.
I wondered if it might be a call from my parents, but a sigh slipped out automatically at the succinctly written name.
『 Giyeok 』
Not even a name, just the Hangul letter Giyeok.
It was Baek Serin's number saved on my phone.
I slid the screen to answer the call, pressed the speaker button, and held the phone.
"What."
『 What stuff should I pack? 』
Holding the phone in my hand, my footsteps heading toward the living room came to a sudden halt.
"...Why are you asking me that? Didn't you already have something in mind?"
『 I mean, I'll pack clothes and stuff, but I don't know how much furniture I should bring. 』
In the middle of the empty living room where I was all alone, I blinked blankly.
And understandably so, since even though both Baek Serin and I have been living on our own, living together is a first for us.
Even if she brought everything all at once, there'd be no room to fit it all anyway.
"Is your bed modular?"
『 No, it's one whole piece. But why ask that? 』
"I'm moving my bed out to the living room."
『 ......If it's too much trouble, we can just sleep together. 』
"......."
I could feel her embarrassment even through the phone resting on the living room table.
Even though the sound quality was bad and the distance was far.
No, if you're gonna be embarrassed, don't say it in the first place.
"Just bring your closet. You're calling movers anyway, right?"
『 Yeah, my parents said they already called them and told me to start packing. 』
How on earth are they moving so fast?
Do Serin's omma and my omma have some kind of connection going on?
Same thing when I called appa earlier—is there a separate communication network I'm unaware of?
"Wait, why are you overthinking it? You can just put whatever was in your current room right into mine."
『 ......Hey, why do you keep trying to separate our spaces? 』
"......."
What did I just hear?
The sound quality is really terrible. I couldn't understand a single word.
...No, actually, maybe I just didn't want to understand.
"Hey, I can't hear you, hold on a sec. Let me grab my AirPods."
『 Hey, hey─! 』
In times like this, pretending not to hear is the best policy.
Still, this is a bit... awkward.
If she had just grumbled like usual, I wouldn't be feeling like this.
It's complicated in a totally different sense. Seriously.
I picked up the AirPods from the desk in my room, put them in my ears, and spoke while opening the wardrobe.
"So, you're only packing your personal belongings?"
『 Can't we just buy whatever we need then? 』
"It's really cramped. It's only 400 square feet, how much are you planning to bring in?"
『 No, what I meant was... things like the bed. 』
"If it's a hassle, sure. For now, I'm taking everything out of my room, okay?"
As I tossed my clothes onto the bed hanger and all, Baek Serin's voice came through.
『 A queen size will fit, right? 』
"...Do you talk in your sleep a lot?"
『 No, if we're sleeping together, at least that much...... do you prefer it cramped? ...Pervert bastard. 』
"......."
...What is she even talking about, seriously?
Why are we having two completely different conversations?
And since when was sleeping together a set fact?
What about my opinion? I'm still a guy, you know?
"Stop talking nonsense, and tell me now if there's anything you need ordered."
『 Anything needed? Not really right now, we can just decide together when I get there later. 』
"...Wait, you're coming over again later?"
『 Dummy, stop looking for meaning in us being together all the time. 』
"No, I mean, can packing really finish that quickly?"
『 You told me to only pack what's necessary. It's not much. In the first place, what I need right now is... 』
"...Ah, shut up. Quiet. Shh."
『 ...You're damn quick on the uptake as always. 』
Ah... I'm exhausted.
I really wish she wouldn't say such cringey things between us.
More importantly, she's coming over again?
Doesn't that mean she plans to sleep over at my house starting tonight?
Ah, I just got even more exhausted.
Looking at the pile of clothes stacked on the bed, another sigh slipped out.
...Still, what needs to be done must be done.
I tore off pages from the calendar hanging on the wall, laid them roughly on the floor, and spoke.
"You're talking real trash just because you can't see my face, huh?"
『 When have I ever cared about what you thought when speaking? 』
"Says the girl who avoided eye contact earlier because she was embarrassed."
『 Shut up, who told you to stare so intently like that? 』
"Oh boy, yes, yes."
I don't know if the calendar pages will protect the linoleum floor. Should I lay down some more newspaper or something?
......What a hassle.
In the end, I heaved the wardrobe up as it was and decided to just push forward for now.
What kind of trouble is this, seriously?
『 Hey, what's that sound? 』
"...Don't, talk to me. It's tough."
I tilted the wardrobe as best I could so it wouldn't gouge the floor with its corners.
What am I doing in broad daylight? Truly pathetic.
『 Are you already clearing out your room? Hey, hey? 』
"I have to clear it out. Why, do you wanna stay in the living room?"
Catching my breath for a moment while balancing the wardrobe on the doorway threshold, she bothered me with her voice again.
『 Hey, if we're going to stay separate like that, there's no point in living together. 』
"That's exactly why I'm doing this. Glad you noticed."
『 Augh, you frustrating bastard, are you seriously impotent or something? 』
"If I were, I would've actually lived in the same room with...... fuck."
『 ....... 』
......Sometimes, it was like this.
Because we knew each other too well, and were too alike.
Even in conversations like this that could easily be brushed off casually.
We would catch the underlying meaning behind what the other person said.
What do I mean?
『 ......Are you turned on? 』
"Shut up."
It meant something roughly like that.
I wondered why Baek Serin, whose brakes were already broken, would hesitate at this point anyway.
If so, then I, sitting in the passenger seat, have to somehow grab the steering wheel and turn it.
As if that's as easy as it sounds....
To erase my distracting thoughts, I pulled the wardrobe straight toward me.
And immediately regretted it.
I should have taped the wardrobe doors shut.
This is why people shouldn't act on impulse.
Seriously stupid.
Thump──
『 ...What's that sound? 』
"...The sound of me dying."
The wardrobe doors swung wide open and got caught on the doorframe,
and my body, thrown off balance, collapsed right onto the floor.
My lower body went numb from the wardrobe landing on top of my thighs.
Mmh. Absolutely nothing is going right today.
『 Hey, are you hurt? 』
"Not really. But the linoleum in the room might be scuffed. Just deal with it even if it looks a bit messy."
『 You idiot, is that what you should be worrying about right now? I asked if you were hurt badly. 』
Ah, tomorrow is leg day, but I guess I have no choice but to skip it.
Thank You, God. Thank You so much....
"I think I'm fine. That's what you get for talking to me."
『 I'm gonna head out soon, so just wait a bit. 』
"...Why does the conversation jump to that?"
Hmm, this isn't the reaction I wanted.
This is the timing where mockingly snide remarks should be coming out.
......Seriously, no matter how many times I hear it, I can't get used to this.
As I gently lifted off the wardrobe pressing down on my thighs,
there were only red marks left behind. There didn't seem to be any major issue.
Standing up is...... yeah, it hurts.
Oh yeah, tomorrow is definitely upper body day.
Tomorrow happens to coincide with elevator maintenance work too.
Walking up 15 floors after obliterating my legs? Pfft, I'd rather die.
Well, that's that. Gotta finish up.
Letting out a deep sigh, I closed the wardrobe doors again and slowly pulled it along.
If I had known this would happen, I would have bought a plastic one.
『 Ah, but if you're gonna get hurt, get hurt properly. 』
"Why don't you just tell me to die outright?"
『 No, you have to get properly injured so I can take advantage of you. 』
"Crazy bitch."
What on earth is inside her head?
I should feed her lots of nutritional supplements. Not that I think that'll change anything, though.
Fortunately, it seems my thighs aren't in that serious of a state,
and once I squeezed through the bedroom doorway, things went pretty smoothly after that.
『 Hey, but what the hell are you moving to be like that? 』
"The wardrobe."
『 Why are you taking that out? Just share it together, or put mine in the living room. 』
"I went through all this shit because you hate my scent, does that even make sense to say?"
The reason I moved the wardrobe first while clearing out the room was simple.
Baek Serin hated my body scent.
Actually, I don't know the exact reason. I never really asked her either.
Even though she steals my clothes to wear every day, she always did nothing but grumble that I smelled.
Whenever she said stuff like it smelled like a bachelor's room, I just snorted in disbelief and laughed it off.
『 ...Hey, put that back. 』
"...No, seriously, are you crazy?"
『 And while you're at it, stop using that weird fabric softener. 』
"Then bring whatever you use."
『 No. Don't use fabric softener at all. 』
"I really don't know what you want me to do......"
Of course, I'd run separate loads of laundry anyway, but who am I going through all this trouble for right now?
She hates this, she hates that.
"Anyway, I'm putting it in the living room. Don't tell me not to move it for some absurd reason."
『 ...Ah, please, just leave it there. 』
"You always complained that I stink, why are you being like this all of a sudden?"
『 ...Because your fucking scent turns me on so damn much, so please just leave it alone──... 』
"......."
...She has definitely lost her mind from heatstroke.
......For real.